Media > Channels

LIQUID BILLBOARD

HAVAS MIDDLE EAST, Dubai / ADIDAS / 2022

Awards:

Silver Cannes Lions
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Overview

Credits

Overview

Why is this work relevant for Media?

The Liquid Billboard was a revolutionary use of a traditional media outlet - the outdoor. By turning it into a unique experience, we created something that had never been seen before and started a global conversation about inclusivity in swimming.

Background

32% of women in the world don’t feel comfortable swimming in public.

In the Middle East, that number rises to 88%.

Being raised in a society where swimming isn’t widely accepted as appropriate for women, they lack the motivation to step into water. In addition, being surrounded by ads with models and professional athletes has further deteriorated their body confidence.

Describe the creative idea / insights

The world’s first swimmable billboard. Made to encourage every woman in Dubai to become ambassadors of adidas’s new inclusive swimwear collection, irrespective of their shapes, ethnicities, abilities or religion.

By physically diving in, each woman became part of the global conversation.

Describe the strategy

Universally, water represents inclusivity and freedom. But, for women in MENA, water represents judgment and restrictions created by conventional media

Our core challenge was to inspire women across the region to find their freedom in water and start a worldwide conversation about making water sports more inclusive for women.

So we wanted to transform a traditionally passive channel, the outdoor into an interactive media that spoke to women everywhere and invited them to come be part of the experience irrespective of shape, ethnicity, ability or faith.

Describe the execution

The 5-meter high and 3-meter deep that doubles as a fully usable swimming pool capable of holding 11500 gallons of water, was built in less than three weeks.

The structure was fitted with special underwater cameras that transformed every woman’s experience into personalized adidas posters, and live-streamed every dive on the city’s largest digital display at Dubai Mall.

Women who’ve only seen athletes and models on billboards, saw themselves celebrated the same way. Breaking down personal and societal barriers to finding their confidence in water.

List the results

350 million total reach

$6 million earned media

60+ countries across 6 continents

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